Free Kingdom of Cages by Sarah Zettel

“Good night, my girls.”
    Chena closed her eyes and curled in on herself, trying to find sleep in her private warmth and darkness. But all around her
     came the sounds of unfamiliar breathing, snorts, and snoring, and inside, her thoughts would not make room for unconsciousness
     and dreams. She kept seeing the administrator looking at Mom, tense and hungry, offering her an easy life and a way out of
     debt, telling her how hard living down here was going to be.
    Chena opened her eyes.
    “Mom?”
    “Shhh, Supernova. What is it?”
    “The money,” said Chena in her lightest whisper.
    “Yes, that’s kept me awake a number of nights. What about the money?”
    “How do we know this isn’t another company town?” That had been Mom’s term for Athena. Because the Athena directorate owned
     everything, she said. All the stores, all the apartments, all the air, they’d been able to charge whatever they wanted for
     them and nobody could say no.
    Mom let out a long, soft sigh. “That is a very good question. First, they don’t let you run yourself into debt here, like
     they did on Athena. Second, they give you a way to live even when you don’t have any money. That way you can manage without
     having to indenture yourself.”
    “Yeah.” Chena pushed herself up onto one elbow and turned toward Mom’s voice, even though she couldn’t see her. “But I mean,
     they keep you so busy working for the town, when do you find time to make money so you won’t have to work for the town?”
    Another sigh. “It’s never easy, Chena. We are going to be a long time getting our heads above water. But it will happen. I
     am not going to let you girls struggle under my debts.”
    “I thought they were Dad’s debts,” said Chena, before she could stop herself.
    “No, Supernova, they are very much mine too.” Mom’s voice sounded heavy, like it was weighted down with all the things she
     wasn’t saying. “But they will never be yours.” Chena heard her blankets rustle. Mom’s warm and certain hand caressed her hair
     briefly. “Now go to sleep, Chena. We all have a long day tomorrow.”
    “Right. Good night, Mom.”
    The blankets rustled again, and Chena pictured her mother rolling over toward the wall. Chena flipped over onto her back and
     lay staring at the ceiling for a long time.
    She had come to associate debt with danger. As long as they owed somebody, it seemed like that somebody could do whatever
     they wanted. They could make Dad vanish, they could drive her family out of their home, they could make Mom frightened and
     angry.
    I will not leave Mom in trouble. I won’t give them the chance to screw us to the deck again. I swear I won’t.
    Her resolve calmed her, and, eventually, Chena was able to sleep.

CHAPTER THREE

Meetings
    N ight had fallen solidly across the forest. Tam climbed the long, winding way to Nan Elle’s house more by touch than by sight.
     He glimpsed the occasional star through the shifting latticework of branches overhead, but they did nothing to illuminate
     his path. His only light was a small pocket flash he used to find the beginning and end of staircases.
    At first the night’s chill had seeped through his clothes, but now a fine layer of perspiration covered his face and he had
     undone the collar button on his formal black and white coat.
    Not enough time in the gym,
murmured his Conscience as he paused to catch his breath.
    “But I don’t feel guilty about it, so why are you sounding off?” he muttered back.
    Your medical health is a default concern,
his Conscience reminded him.
    Tam just grunted and vaguely wished he could turn that off too, but he didn’t dare. Over the years his Conscience had been
     tampered with multiple times. Too many alterations to the remaining facade would draw attention he didn’t want.
    Up ahead, a light gleamed and vanished, followed by the long, slow creak of a door with neglected hinges. He had tried repeatedly
     to get Nan Elle to oil